I have been cursed by a witch to repeatedly travel back through time to relive every NBA draft. Fortunately, her spell sends me directly to the Utah Jazz war room on draft night and all the executives magically know I’m from the future and will do whatever I say. Unfortunately, the curse prevents me from seeing how my advice altered the future, as I am sent back to the previous year as soon as draft night ends.
June 28, 1995 – SkyDome, Toronto, Ontario
Previous season:
The 1994-95 season could have — and probably should have — been a magical year for the Jazz. Karl Malone and John Stockton were both on the All-NBA First Team. Jeff Hornacek played terrifically in his first full season in Utah. And new additions Adam Keefe and Antoine Carr proved to be just what the Jazz needed. For the first time in franchise history, Utah won 60 games in the regular season, bested only by San Antonio's 62 wins. However, Utah was stunned in the first round of the playoffs, losing to Houston in five games (of a best-of-five series). The Rockets went on to win the championship, but that was little consolation for the Jazz. But on the bright side, the solution to Utah's problems seemed like a relatively easy fix for general manager Scott Layden. The Jazz began the season with Felton Spencer at center, and he was actually playing the best basketball of his career ... until he tore his Achilles tendon. That forced Utah to go to war against Hakeem Olajuwon with 37-year-old James Donaldson. He had been an All-Star once before — back in 1988 — but by 1995, he was literally out of the league until the Jazz begged him to come back. It should be no surprise that he was quite awful and the most gaping hole on an otherwise powerful roster.
The draft:
With the 28th pick, Utah drafted a center from Kansas named Greg Ostertag.
In 1994, the Jazz traded their second-round pick with Tyrone Corbin for Keefe. Atlanta used the 57th pick on Cuonzo Martin, who only played in seven NBA games. (That was a good trade for the Jazz.)
Analysis:
Ostertag was easily one of the most frustrating players in Jazz history. And that's mainly because everyone knew he had it in him to be much better than he often played. Ostertag quickly filled Utah's void at center, becoming the starter in his second season. He played incredibly well during Utah's first trip to the Finals, notably holding his own against Houston's Olajuwon — the same Olajuwon who chewed up the Jazz in the first round and spit them out just two years earlier. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say Utah wouldn't have reached the Finals without Ostertag.
Unfortunately, that sophomore showing proved to be the best Ostertag ever got. After his rookie contract expired, Jazz owner Larry H. Miller excitedly signed him to a massive $39 million, six-year contract. When Utah later signed Olden Polynice, Ostertag temporarily switched his jersey number from 00 to 39 so Polynice could continue wearing number 0 as he had throughout his entire NBA career. But now I'm wondering if Ostertag chose number 39 just to troll the Jazz. That contract made him untradeable, and he spent nine consecutive seasons in Utah, frequently showing up out of shape and disinterested in improving his game. But every now and then, he'd play out of his mind, tantalizing Jazz fans with glimpses of what could have been.
After his contract finally expired, Ostertag signed with Sacramento. He played just one season with the Kings before they sent him back to Utah in that obnoxious five-team trade. Ostertag announced his retirement before the final game of the 2005-06 season, and he reportedly received a standing ovation from the crowd. Perhaps some people were happy just to see the Ostertag era finally come to an end. But I think most of them felt like I did — thankful for the good he gave to the team in spite of all the frustrations and missed opportunities. He was oddly a stabilizing influence on the rebuilding Jazz after Stockton and Malone left, and it was kind of nice to have him come back for one last year.
But should the Jazz have drafted him? Well ... yeah. I know, I know! I'm giving Jazz fans a solid decade of headaches! But he was by far the best option available at No. 28 in this draft. Utah desperately needed a center, and they certainly weren't going to get one in free agency. And you can't really count on trades, either — just look at the Rony Seikaly fiasco. So, I'm sorry, but it has to be Ostertag.
My advice:
1. Use the 28th pick on Greg Ostertag.
I think maybe, just maybe, if I convinced Miller to resist the temptation to give Ostertag a six-year deal, then he might stay motivated and make sure he arrived in training camp in shape each year. He never needed to be a fitness nut like Stockton and Malone, but if he just could have kept his weight down, things might have been very different. Of course, this plan could have easily backfired, too. If Miller wouldn't give Ostertag the big bucks, then maybe someone else would have. But honestly, I'm OK with that. If Ostertag's entire legacy with the Jazz was just what he did during his rookie contract (like Shandon Anderson), then that would have been good enough for me.
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